Hanging with the FAM

I just threw together a tile of some photos which I snapped at a family outing, this past sunday. We visited the Gardens of the World park, in Thousand Oaks, for the occasion of my grandma (gwams) visiting us. I haven't seen her nearly enough, since I've been back home and it was great to get to spend a little bit of time with her; it always is!

Bicycles: The Best Invention Ever!

I am falling in love with bicycles all over again!I have been riding my bike 1000% more since I kicked my cold and I'm loving every second of it. I've been feeling like I can't quite get enough and the more I ride the better I feel. I wish I always felt like this about cycling; I'm never not into it but sometimes I weight the cons to certain rides and right now I'm all about it, no matter what. I think it's the production of dopamine and endorphins that's doing it to me, or maybe it's the social aspect of it all. I've been participating in group rides and races with the likes of SBFixed and the Thousand Oaks Chain Gang and it's been a blast; mashing around on bikes, hanging out with rad people, and just getting out there.

So........... Would you like to get together and ride bicycles?

The "Catch Me If You Can" Ride

Kinfolk Bicycles and Smoke and Mirrors are teaming up to sponsor a mystery bicycle ride, in Los Angeles, that directly benefits the Pablove Foundation. The Pablove Foundation is a organization which works to support the pediatric cancer community; Specifically, the Pablove Foundation makes an annual contribution to cancer research and treatment at the Childrens Hospital of Los Angeles's Saban Research Institute, one of the top cancer research facilities in the United States.

The ride starts Sunday August 2nd at Orange 20 bicycles, which is located at 4351 Melrose Avenue, LA, CA, 90029, it starts around 4pm and is set to go until 8pm. The ride will be including games, prizes, raffle tickets, lots of fun, and clues to the location of the SECRET AFTER PARTY!! The secret after party is set to go from right after the ride up until midnight; there will be an OPEN BAR and live music from NO MSG, The Mae Shi, The Intricate Machines, Kissing Tigers, and Daedelus. It's shaping up to be an awesome ride and and awesome after party; the entrance fee to the after party is $5 if you RSVP and $10 if you don't. Additional sponsors include The Archrival, Origami Records, Blends LA, Orange 20 Bicycles, Trackosaurusrex, Enjoy Human, The Disco Vietnam, FMLY, LBC Sprints, Dangerbird Records, Filter Magazine, Honest Tea, Monster, and Asahi. You're definitely going to want to RSVP for the after party, you'll get directions to the secret party as well as a discount to your entrance, and you can do it right now, RIGHT HERE!!

All in all, it's going to be a fun ride, a fun after party, and it's going to support a really noble cause. I'd strongly recommend making the time and commitment and making it out to this event!

For more information visit Kinfolk's blog at www.wegotways.com or Smoke and Mirrors at www.smokeandmirrorslife.com

Epic is Epic

I wanted to write about my first week being back in school and back in Santa Barbara. I had fairly long break from school and the fact that this session is my last before graduation makes it kind of a big deal to me. The day I woke up, on the first day back of class, I felt a little nervous. It had nothing to do with the rigor or pace of the class, but more to do with the fact that it will be the last class I ever take at the Brooks Institute of Photography, or the last college class which I EVER TAKE, for that matter! I had set myself up to have a nice and mellow schedule and so I made my way up 101 north, in the early afternoon, both stoked to be starting my final session, and a little unsettled with the fact that I was on the cusp of one of the biggest changes in my adult life.

When I got to Santa Barbara, I parked my car, got on my bike, and made my way out to lunch. My apprehensions about why I was in Santa Barbara immediately disappeared as soon as I started pedaling; the combination of the moderate air temperature, the smell of the ocean, and the undeniable joy of riding a bicycle just left my feeling like I was living in the perfect moment. From there on out, everything kept getting better and better; my lunch was delicious and awesome, class was a breeze and I had great plans for right after class. After class, I met up with my friend James and we rode out to where a big group of friend and fellow cyclists were hosting another stage of a series of sprint races. It's semi-competitive but mostly a great event that gets a bunch of people together who love riding their bikes and having a good time. The event lasted a few hours and from there we rode up to a park, which we knew would have night-lights, to play basketball; it was one of the most intense basketball games that I've ever got to take part in. We played five on five, as sloppy as could be, with no real set positions; just running fast-break after fast-break, driving hard, with lots of contact and a complete disregard for what was and was not a foul. IT WAS AMAZING! We all worked up a ridiculous sweat so then next logical step was to jump into a pool! We all rode out to a location, whose name I'll withhold, and jumped off of a four-story roof into a pool. From there my friend Matt and I rode out to his house, where I was staying while in SB, and settled in for the night. I had this overwhelming feeling that I had just had just lived through one of the best days in quite a while. Maybe I had an overstock of endorphins and dopamine from laying around for weeks being sick, but I felt better than ever!

The next day, shortly after waking up, I met my friend Garrett for breakfast at Backyard Bowls; one of the best spots in SB to grab an Acai bowl. From there we spent the rest of the morning and afternoon riding bikes and eventually meeting up with a couple other dudes, James and Hobie, to play baseball. It was a ton of fun and I was a sweaty mess by the end of it all; it's safe to say I was probably the smelly kid in class, but I don't think it was as bad as I imagined it to be! That day ended with more bike riding and the same baseball foursome seeing the movie MOON, downtown in SB.

I could go on and on with detailed specifics about my first few days back in SB, but all-in-all I'd sum it up by saying it was great to be back, it was liking ; lot's of bike riding, basketball, baseball, swimming, danger, excitement, and above all else, hanging out with GOOD FRIENDS!

Macaframa: The Film

When something is created by blending multiple facets of ones passions the potential to create something remarkable becomes a tangible possibility. Being passionately involved in image-making and cycling are, in my opinion, two of the best things in the world and tonight I've been inspired by two guys from San Francisco who've blended their love of cycling and image making together to create something truly amazing.

Colin Arlen and Colby Elrick, of Macaframa Films, have spent the last three years putting together an awesome film that's become a household name in the cycling world; Macaframa. The story of their journey to completing the production of this piece is inspiring; the passion that drove all of these people to come together and join in the birth of this film rings clear from the moment you lay eyes on the DVD's packaging and presentation. The film features beautifully composed and captured footage of an extremely talented and dedicated crew of cyclists tearing through the streets of San Francisco's cityscape. From the beginning of the film, right up until the end, there is so much that excited me; the aesthetic of the film, the skill of the riders, the angles of capture, the flawless editing, the hectic nature of the riding, and the triumph of each rider, as an individual, all combine seamlessly and beautifully.

I can't say enough about my range of emotions during my first time watching the film; there's so many aspects of the experience of watching this film and so many stimulating elements to take in. I remember just being blown away by the cleanness and simplicity of the opening scene and then BOOM, the pace just picks up and I'm immediately thinking "These dudes are killing it! They make me feel like I suck at riding bikes!" The transitions, from rider to rider, are unique every time and really visually interesting. All-in-all, I'd really recommend creating the opportunity to watch this film ASAP; I'm really stoked that I did and I can't wait to crack into Disc 2 to check out all the extra goodies!

Keeping it up

In my last post, just last night, I discussed loosing touch with blogging and I figured there's no better way to get back into the habit than to continually post; maybe everyday, at least at first. I'll make no promises, to myself, though; I would hate to set myself up for disappointment! I spent the better part of today in the studio with the band The Harm, during the recording process of their upcoming project. It was a blast; the guys were fun the whole time and being that close to the production of that caliber of music was an awesome experience. I am really looking forward to editing the video that was shot during the day.

Prior to heading to the studio, I stopped by my favorite not-so-local bike shop, Orange 20, to pick up a copy of the late and great Macaframa DVD. While there I, by chance, had a close and direct encounter with the elusive Trackosaurus Brow; he is a marvelous specimen and the whole ordeal was truly a privilege!

Now getting back to the PG, that's program and it's easy...

Bellow are some more photographs from a larger collection from The Harm's studio session at Steakhouse Studios.

Jumping Back In

I have regrettably lost touch with blogging; it's completely been lacking in my life and I've missed it. I think I became slightly disenfranchised with computers over summer-break, which hasn't been too long. I've also been battling a serious cold for the past few weeks and I quite honestly, haven't been getting into too many exciting activities. I had a great Fourth of July, however; I went to an awesome gathering which required the sporting of faux facial hair. Beyond that, I have been getting plenty of bed-rest and trying to nurse myself back to health. I really miss being able to be active; I miss riding bicycles like crazy!! I really feel like I'm turning a corner though; I can slowly feel symptoms dissipate and there's only minor congestion coupled with low energy and strength.

Tonight was spent in a recording studio with the band The Harm, who are great friends of mine; They'll be spending all of tomorrow recording eight tracks for part of a series where they will be releasing four mini-EP's with four tracks each. I'm really excited that they're getting back in the studio and I'm super pumped to be able to witness and document the process. I'll be shooting still photographs as well as filming video; I'm even going to shoot some 35mm film and maybe some polaroids! Like I said, I just got back from the studio, where they spent a little over 5 hours setting up with the producer, working on yielding the ideal tones and getting everything laid out... I primarily focused on getting video footage but managed to squeez a couple of stills out of the deal. Here are a few images....